1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print data processing apparatus for processing print data.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a printing apparatus which analyzes print data inputted to the apparatus, outputs bitmap image information and bitmap attribute information indicating attributes of pixels which form a character, an image, or a graphic, and performs image processing of the image information by referring to the attribute information (refer to Japanese Patent No. 4514168, for example.)
Heretofore, the process of analyzing print data and outputting image information and attribute information has been performed internal to the printing apparatus. Meanwhile, with improvements in CPU processing capabilities of a server and advances in network technology, studies have been made on a printing apparatus of new configuration in which a process alone which is dependent on an engine of the printing apparatus is performed internal to the printing apparatus, while a process which is not dependent on the engine is performed by an external server. The new configuration requires the process of transferring the image information and the attribute information to the printing apparatus, because the analysis of the print data and the outputting of the image information and the attribute information, which are not dependent on the engine, are performed by the external server.
The process of transferring the image information and the attribute information may cause a bottleneck in performance. In this case, the printing apparatus which receives the image information and the attribute information and performs a printing process is incapable of printing which satisfies PPM (Page Per Minute; the number of printable pages per minute) serving as an index of performance.